Up Your Backyard Barbecue Game With 14 Great Grillin’ Picks

Or maybe you don't want to waste your time, and the delicate edge of your favorite spatula, by painstakingly scraping pieces of rubbery zucchini off the grill. In that case, pick up a grilling basket for quickly cooking handfuls of assorted fruits and veggies. It also beats wrapping them up in sheets of foil that might rip or tear.

When my colleague Chris Null tested instant-read digital meat thermometers, the Lavatools Javelin came out as the winner. It comes in an affordable probe design that nevertheless gets you the meat's temperature fast. It also comes with an integrated magnet that means you can stick it on your fridge, grill lid, or oven. Take all the money you save from not buying a fancy meat thermometer and use it to treat yourself to a few filet mignons instead.

Yes, the Vitamix is a considerable investment. But not only will this 2.2-horsepower motor whip up gallons of Fourth of July margaritas in record time—it will also do so at about 10 decibels quieter than previous models, and it can clean itself within 30 seconds with a few drops of soap and water. This is the Fourth of July purchase that will keep on giving, long after the grill has been packed away. We use ours almost every day.

Yeti was perhaps the first company to make a name for themselves by charging big bucks for mundane household items. As much as it pains me to admit it—the Tundra is totally worth it. Rather than trying to squeeze leftover dripping wet beers and juice boxes into your fridge after everyone goes home, just leave them out in the patio in your Yeti Tundra. It will keep them cool for much longer than you'll need, and the hard cooler will give your guests an extra seat in a pinch.

Pounding a frozen margarita in the summer heat does not bode well for a pleasant evening (or morning after). But what to do if you want to enjoy your beverage before it turns into a puddle of warm, sticky gloop? Enter the Hydro Flask tumbler. Keep your drink cool and refreshing for as long as it takes to finish it.

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom got our Gear of the Year award last year, and it's the perfect party speaker. It's completely waterproof, so you don't have to worry about dropping it into the kiddie pool. It has robust battery life and simple, intuitive controls. You can hang it by its stretchy loop in the kitchen or on a low tree branch. Instead of blasting tunes loud enough so that the people playing cornhole can hear, just stick another one across the yard for low-key ambient sound.

If your friends really loved you, they wouldn't mind sitting on the floor. But if you really loved them, maybe you wouldn't ask them to. This sturdy, affordable, inflatable sectional is durable enough to put in the grass. It has two-in-one valves for easy inflation, cupholders, and a soft, flocked sitting surface to lounge on. When everyone's gone home, just deflate and stick in the bottom of your closet for the next time twenty of your closest friends come over. And don't forget to pick up a pump while you're at it.

If you need a little backyard illumination but the idea of snaking extension cords all over the place does not appeal to you, try stringing the Eagles Nest Outfitters Twilights over your outdoor seating or on your fence. They're powered by three AAA batteries, so you don't have to plug them in and they're easy to tote around. They're made from impact resistant plastic, so you don't have to worry about them getting broken if they get torn down. And if you like them, they're affordable enough to buy a few more sets for the rest of the yard.

As long as we're on the subject of fireworks, let's talk about fire. Celebrating the Fourth of July means that fire will be everywhere—in the barbecue, in candles at the table, or exploding across the night sky. Should things go awry, a small, light, easy-to-use fire extinguisher will be one of the best first-line means of defense. A class ABC extinguisher, like this Amerex one, can put out wood and paper fires, flammable liquids, and electrical fires. Don't forget to read the instructions on how to use it before the party starts.

If you live in a state that permits their sale, you may be considering handing your kids a pile of sparklers and a lighter. But we're not sure we can recommend it--the National Fire Protection Association warns customers that the temperature of a sparkler can reach up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is...an awfully hot stick to hand your child. Try some fun, flying, foam-tipped light-up toys as an alternative. These look fun enough for the grown-ups to join in, too.

Can we now admit that squeezing yourself onto a patch of grass to squint at some fireworks a half-mile away is a pretty lousy way to celebrate America's birthday? If you really want fireworks, please avail yourself of the chemistry sparking between Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith, two of the leads in the greatest movie of all time. I'm talking, of course, about Independence Day. This classic American sci-fi hit has it all—dramatic speeches, comic hijinks, and big, boomy explosions. Are you telling me that real-life fireworks can compete with the site of the entire city of Los Angeles going down in flames? No, I didn't think so.

If you find that your current television is not capable of displaying Independence Day in all the immersive glory that it deserves, you may want to consider this affordable option from Vizio. It's enormous, has stunning clarity, is Wi-Fi-enabled for Netflix and Hulu, and plentiful HDMI inputs. Just a warning: It doesn't have a TV tuner, so if you're expecting to pick up broadcasts or cable, that might be a problem.